Ian Crookenden has high hopes for N.Z. tennis

Press, 24 October 1980, Page 24

Ian Crookenden has high hopes for N.Z. tennis

There is no reason why New Zealand can not produce top international tennis players in the future, according to one of the best of the past, lan Crookenden. The former Waikato man, who with Lew Gerrard, formed one of New Zealand’s best Davis Cup combinations in the 19605, is in Christchurch until tomorrow afternoon concluding a three-week coaching trip throughout the country. Crookenden, a winner of 19 national titles and for five years a member of the Davis Cup team, has been based in the United States for the last 18 years. There his main coaching interest is the Crookenden Common Sense Camp in Florida. The name was his own idea* and. expresses his “logical” approach to the game. But Crookenden believes New Zealand can produce sufficiently talented players to make an impact, but he emphasises that an increase in facilities is a “must.” This is happening in the United States where “they have taken the game out of the ’ financially priviledged set” and put in within easier reach of the public. New Zealand is not at “saturation point” where it can not take a few acres -and build more "sporting facilities, he said. Crookenden lays the blame

in the trend towards poor court behaviour of many players squarely at the feet of parents and coaches. “They have allowed players’ undisciplined acts to get away and be accepted. There is no need for it, as there are too many examples of players who have done well, without that,” hq said. He added that there have always been players of a volatile temperament, but the promoters who want those players to boost the gate, and. the parents who allow the children to get away with it must accept a share of the responsibility. Crookenden, whose career wins include victories over such outstanding players as Arthur Ashe, Stan Smith, Dennis Ralston, Bob Lutz, Manuel Orantes, Fred Stolle and Cliff Drysdale, said the two reasons he has not been back to New Zealand since 1963 are time and money. Now he has found he has both at the same time. However, he has retained his New Zealand citizenship and admitted to being “extremely proud” of what he has seen. Crookenden hopes to be able to return to New Zealand on an annual basis in the future. Indeed, he is an ideal person to bring to the country the latest developments and trends in .the game.